WORLD GIRL SCOUT LEADER ACTS AS FEEDER FOR ANTI-CATHOLIC GROUP

Has radical feminism infiltrated the Girl Scouts? It’s not entirely clear but the fact that we raise the question suggests something’s less than kosher at the Girl Scouts. Consider the following.

Leslie Wright is the Team Coordinator of the New York group that represents the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) at the United Nations; Girl Scouts USA is a member of WAGGGS. She recently cooperated with the anti-Catholic group, Catholics for a Free Choice (CFFC), helping them to secure new personnel. The league was first alerted to this by Austin Ruse, director of the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute.

Catholic League director of communications, Patrick Scully, spoke with Jennifer Wagner, international relations coordinator for the Girl Scouts USA, and Liz Shepard, the director of media and communications for the organization, explaining the league’s concerns. They defended Ms. Wright saying she was just passing along an e-mail message concerning the opening at CFFC. When they told Scully that the Girl Scouts were “an inclusive group,” the league spokesman asked whether they were aware that CFFC is an expressly anti-Catholic group. They said they “were not religion experts.” Pressed further, they reiterated that the Girl Scouts were “an inclusive group.”

The league is concerned that an official at the umbrella organization (WAGGGS) that the Girl Scouts USA belongs to is aiding and abetting anti-Catholicism during working hours. More unfortunate still is the fact that the tired cliché regarding “inclusiveness” is being voiced by Girl Scout leaders in this country. It would be instructive to know whether their commitment to inclusiveness extends to working with bigots.

Accordingly, the Catholic League lodged a protest with both WAGGGS and the Girl Scouts USA. Frances Kissling of CFFC is not merely pro-abortion, she is on record saying it is her goal to “overthrow” the Roman Catholic Church. That being so, it is inexcusable that any responsible person would facilitate Kissling in her quest.

On October 23, William Donohue wrote to Marsha Johnson Evans, national executive director of the Girl Scouts, and to Girl Scout president Connie Matsui. Three days later Evans wrote back, representing herself and Matsui. She claims that Wright does not represent the Girl Scouts and that her organization has no relationship with Kissling’s anti-
Catholic group.

We expected something stronger from the Girl Scouts. At first we get the bit about inclusiveness. When pressured, the Girl Scouts opt to distance themselves from the offender.

We trust they got the message. If not, we’ll be sure to keep a watchful eye on the Girl Scouts from now on.